Saturday, November 5, 2011

TRAVEL PLAN 4: Hamburg (Germany)



About Hamburg

Hamburg is the biggest city of North-Germany with its 1.8 million inhabitants. It is a major transport hub in North-Germany and the Hamburg Port ranks as 9th worldwide in transshipment. 

Here a quote to describe the "Hamburg-feeling":

"In Hamburg it`s hard to find a Hamburger. A hurried and superficial search turns up only people from Pinneberg, and those from Bergedorf. One accompanies the contented little kippers of a striving society; mackerels from Stade, sole from Finkenwerder, herrings from Cuxhaven swim in expectant throngs through the streets of my city and lobsters patrol the stock exchange with open claws....The first so-called unguarded glance always lands on the bottom of the sea and falls into twilight of the aquarium. Heinrich Heine must have had the same experience when he tried, with his cultivated scorn and gifted melancholy, to find people of Hamburg"
   -Siegfried Lenz, in Leute von Hamburg (People from Hamburg) 
(from :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburg#Port)

Sights

1. Hamburg Port
How to get here: The cruises start from the "Alter Elbtunnel". It is worth to participate in a port-cruise, because this way you can explore from "inside and live" the everyday life of the 9th biggest port of the world. Speicherstadt is a main part of the port cruise, behind the wall of the historical storage houses valuable goods of world trade are stored; coffee, tea, cocoa, spices, tobacco, computer and the third biggest oriental rug stock of the world.

Hamburg Port-tours: http://www.barkassenvermietung-hamburg.com/hafenrundfahrt.html,here the "Hafenrundfahrt" costs 12 EUR for adults, 5 EUR for children, and you can ask an offer for groups via email or phone

2. St. Michaels Church
Facts and History: http://www.st-michaelis.de/, it is worth to go up to the tower of the church by walking or taking the elevator. From here you can see the city and the Hamburg Port. High fences, therefore recommended also for people who are afraid of height.
How to get here: S-Bahn: S3, S1 Stadthausbrücke, Mihaelisstrasse exit
Tower-Entrance fee: 4 EUR for adults, Children 6-15 years 3 EUR
Opening hours: November-April 10:00-17:30, May-October 9:00-19:30


3. Alter Elbtunnel (Old Elb-Tunnel)
Facts and History: Other name "St. Pauli Elbtunnel" was opened in 1911 and was a technical miracle of its age. It was the first under-river tunnel of the continent. People and vehicles were transported 24 m deep with the elevators. Since 2003 it is a cultural heritage sight. On foot and by bike the entrance is free.
How to get here: St. Pauli Landungsbrücken, Hamburg

4. Rathaus Hamburg (City hall)
How to get here: U-Bahn, U3 Rathaus
Opening hours :  Guided tours in German Mo-Fri 10:00-15:00 every half hour, Sat 10:00-17:00 every half hour, So 10:00-16:00 every half hour. If requested guided tours in English and French are offered every hour. For further information: +49 40 42831 2064 (9-17). Recommended to call and ask up to date opening info.
Entrance free: Adults 3 EUR, Children up to 14 years 50 cent, groups from 15 person 2 EUR, Families (2 adults+children) 6 EUR, Hamburg pass or Power-Pass 2 EUR
5. Planten un Blomen Park
Facts and History: you find this amazing park right in the city center, main sights here are the Botanic Garden with Tropical House, and the biggest Japanese Garden of Europe. The "Central Park of Hamburg" with many programs and attractions. 
How to get here: different entrances at different parts of the park. Here you can find the closest public transportation stop to the place you want to visit: http://plantenunblomen.hamburg.de/lageplan-np/
Opening hours: October 1st-March 31st 7:00-20:00, April 1st-30st April: 07:00-22:00, 1st May-30th September 07:00-23:00

Aussenalter (Outer Alter Lake) is an other recreational area of Hamburg, it is a artificial lake (see more info on the web)

6. St. Nikolai Memorial
Facts and History: This is the main place in Hamburg devoted to the memory of the victims of the war and the country`s leadership between 1933 and 1945. In the ruin you find a permanent exhibition about the reasons and consequences of the air war in Europe.
Entrance fee: Adults 3.7 EUR, Students/Hamburg Card/Groups 2.9 EUR, Children 2 EUR
How to get here: closest U-Bahn station is Rödingsmarkt
Opening hours: May-Sept every day 10:00-20:00, October-April 10:00-17:00

7. Reperbahn
Facts and History: street in St Pauli`s district, one of the two centers of Hamburgs nightlife and also Hamburgs red light district. It is recommended to avoid Herbestsstrasse and just walk along Reperbahn and visit the funny/weird sex shops, restaurants and theater live venues.
How to get here: Street running parallel with the harbor

Culture tripping

Hamburger Kunsthalle
Facts and History: Absolutaley worth of the money for art-lovers. Renoir, Monet,Manet, Rodin etc. Alte Meister-Neue Mesiter entrances, the exhibition are is divided to "Old- and New Masters". They hold in the museum every Saturday an Art-market where people can buy secondhand art books, some small design things etc. and the museum shop is also very good even for buying presents.
Entrance fee:  12 EUR
How to get here: it is next to the Hamburg Central Railway Station
Opening hours:Tuesdays to Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m, Thursdays 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.Closed Mondays; Day of German Unity (10/03/2011) 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Christmas Eve and December 25: closed, December 26: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., New Year's Eve 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., New Year's Day 12 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Deichtorhallen
Emmigration Museum Ballinstadt
International Maritimes Museum Hamburg
Miniatur Wonderland
Museum ships at Landungsbrücken
Alsterarkaden

It is worth to check the web for further programs and places to visit, because the cultural program offer of Hamburg is very big and diverse.

Eating and shopping
Hamburg Fischmarkt (fish market)

In the shopping street starting at the Railway Station:
Spices of the world shop (http://www.schuhbeck.de/laeden/gewuerzlaeden/in-hamburg.html)
Curry wurst place opposite to Starbucks
Thomas Sabo shopwindow had funny-cool Chineese and Panda themes when we visited in 2011 October


      The Hamburg Travel Guide © Mónika Csapó- All Rights Reserved
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